SPORTNOW Electric Scooter for Kids Review: a simple, fun first e-scooter for 6–12 year olds

I picked up the SPORTNOW electric scooter for my kid as a step up from a basic push scooter. I wasn’t looking for something high-end, just something safe, decent speed, and not a total headache to carry or charge. We’ve used it for a few weeks now, mostly short rides to the park and around the neighbourhood, so I’ve had time to see what’s good and what’s a bit annoying.

Overall, it feels like a proper little electric scooter and not a flimsy toy. It has a top speed of about 14 km/h, which in real life is fast enough for kids without being scary. The kick-start system (it only accelerates once the kid is already rolling at about 5 km/h) is actually useful – no sudden lurch when they touch the throttle by mistake.

Where it shows its price is mainly the range and the battery. The brand says roughly 6 km and that sounds about right if your kid is light and the ground is flat. If you’ve got hills or your child is near the 50 kg limit, you see the battery bar drop quicker than you’d like. It’s fine for casual play, but forget about long family rides.

In short: it’s a pretty solid entry-level kids’ e-scooter. Kids enjoy the lights and the speed, parents get dual brakes and a reasonable safety setup. It’s not perfect, and there are better options if you want big range, but for the price and for 6–12 year olds, it does the job.

In terms of value, this SPORTNOW scooter sits in that mid-low price range for kids’ e-scooters. It’s not the cheapest thing on the market, but it’s also far from the premium brands. For what you pay, you’re getting a real electric scooter with dual brakes, lights, a display, and a foldable aluminium frame. That’s more than many cheaper toy-like models offer.

Where you feel the price is mainly the battery range and the fixed handlebar. If you compare it to more expensive kids’ scooters, those often have better range, sometimes height-adjustable handlebars, and slightly better suspension. If you’re planning daily school runs or long family rides, it might be worth paying extra for a higher-end model. But if you just want something for weekend fun and short trips to the park, this one actually hits a good balance.

From my experience, the scooter gets the job done for casual use: the kid has fun, it’s not too heavy to carry, and you’re not terrified about safety because of the soft start and dual brakes. The battery limitations are annoying if you expect long sessions, but for 30–45 minutes of play at a time, it’s fine. The Amazon rating around 4.3/5 seems fair to me – it’s solid, with some flaws, but not junk.

If your budget is tight and you just want an entry-level electric scooter that feels more serious than a plastic toy, this is a decent option. If you can stretch the budget and know your kid will use it a lot, especially as they grow older and heavier, then I’d say look at something with better range and adjustable height. So value is good, as long as you know what you’re getting and don’t expect miracles from the battery.

Design-wise, the SPORTNOW scooter is pretty straightforward: blue colour, black deck, and a light bar running underneath. It’s not flashy in a high-end way, but kids see the glowing lights and that’s enough to sell it. The overall footprint is compact: about 78 cm long and 32 cm wide, and it folds down to around 75 cm long. Folded, it fits easily in a car boot or behind a door at home.

The folding mechanism is simple: a latch at the base of the stem. After a few uses you get the hang of it – step on the lever, fold the bar down, and that’s it. It’s not the smoothest fold system I’ve ever seen, but it’s reliable. My only minor gripe is that smaller kids might struggle to fold/unfold it themselves; an adult or older child will probably need to help at first. Once folded, it doesn’t lock super rigidly, but it’s good enough to carry without it flapping around.

On the handlebar, everything is minimal: fixed height, rubber grips, thumb throttle and a brake lever. No height adjustment, which is both a plus and a minus. On the plus side, less to break or loosen. On the downside, you can’t adapt it as your kid grows. If your child is closer to 6 and small, they may find the bar a bit high at first. If they’re closer to 14 and tall, the bar may feel low and a bit cramped.

From a parent’s point of view, the layout is clean and not confusing. My kid picked up how to use the throttle and brake in about 5 minutes. There are no unnecessary buttons or modes; it’s just on, kick to 5 km/h, then press the throttle. For a first e-scooter, I actually prefer this simple design to some models that try to add too many settings and end up confusing the child.

The brand advertises a maximum range of 6 km with a 3-hour charge. In real life, it’s roughly accurate if your kid is light, you’re on mostly flat ground, and they don’t ride at full throttle the whole time. In our case, with a child around 30 kg, we got about 40–50 minutes of mixed riding (some full speed, some coasting) before the battery indicator dropped to the last bar and the scooter started to lose power.

Some Amazon reviews mention the battery dying fast, and I get where that comes from. If you expect this to last all afternoon, it won’t. It’s more of a short-session scooter: a trip to the park, 20–30 minutes of riding, maybe another quick session later after a partial recharge. The LED display helps a bit because you can see the battery level drop, so you’re not totally surprised when it slows down.

Charging is simple: plug the charger into the port and leave it for about 3 hours for a full charge. There’s nothing fancy here – no app, no fast charging. At least the charge time is reasonable; you can plug it in after school and it’s ready again by early evening. I also like that the charger is small and easy to store, not a big brick.

For the price range, I’d call the battery decent but nothing more. If your kid is heavier or you have hills, just mentally cut that 6 km range down. For most families using it as a fun toy rather than a daily commute vehicle, it’s acceptable. But if you want long family rides alongside adult e-scooters or bikes, this one will run out of juice first, no question.

Comfort-wise, the SPORTNOW scooter is okay for short to medium rides. The deck is wide enough for a kid to stand with both feet side by side or one behind the other without feeling cramped. My kid had no trouble finding a stable stance, and the grip on the deck is decent so they don’t slip easily, even with regular trainers. For longer rides, they might start shifting feet more, but that’s normal.

The front suspension and rubber tyres take the edge off small bumps, but you still feel bad pavement. On smooth surfaces, the ride is pleasant and pretty quiet apart from the hum of the motor. On rougher ground, you hear more vibration and the kid will feel it in their hands. Again, for the kind of use this scooter is meant for (parks, pavements, driveways), it’s fine. I wouldn’t send them down gravel paths or very broken roads with it.

On the safety side, I like the dual braking system: a hand-operated front brake plus a rear foot brake. My kid mostly uses the hand brake, which feels natural, and the scooter stops in a reasonable distance without throwing them forward. The foot brake is a good backup if they panic and just stomp on the rear. It’s not as powerful as the hand brake, but it does help slow the scooter down.

The only comfort downside is the fixed handlebar height. There’s no adjustment, so you have to hope your kid’s height matches it. For mine it’s okay now, but I can see that in a couple of years it might start to feel low. Also, shorter 6-year-olds might find it a bit high at first. So it’s comfortable in the right size window, but not super flexible as they grow.

The frame is aluminium, and that’s one of the reasons I picked this model. It keeps the weight down (about 6.8–7 kg) but still feels more solid than the typical plastic-heavy toy scooters. When you grab it and lift it, there’s no major creaking or flexing. The stem feels firm, and the folding joint doesn’t wobble once locked in place. For a kids’ scooter in this price range, that’s already a good sign.

The wheels are solid rubber, which is good for durability – no punctures to worry about. The flip side is they’re a bit harsher on bumps, but for longevity it’s a win. After a few weeks of use, there’s no visible damage on the tyres beyond normal wear. The deck surface also seems to hold up well; no peeling or major scuffs yet, even with my kid dropping it a few times and scraping it on kerbs.

One thing to keep in mind is the 50 kg weight limit. I did a few quick tests near that limit, and while the scooter didn’t break or anything, you can feel that it’s not built for heavier riders. I wouldn’t let older teens or adults mess around on it regularly; that’s how you shorten its life. Used within the limits (kids under 50 kg, normal pavements, no crazy jumps), I’d expect it to last a couple of years of regular weekend use.

The warranty is only 6 months against manufacturer defects, which is honestly on the short side. That tells me it’s not a tank built for 5+ years of abuse. But for a kid’s first or second e-scooter, I’d say the durability is acceptable, as long as you treat it like a small vehicle and not like a stunt toy. Don’t throw it around, don’t ride it in the rain all the time, and it should hold up reasonably well.

In terms of performance, this scooter is very much tuned for kids. The stated top speed is 14 km/h, and that’s roughly what I saw on the display with my kid riding on flat pavement. To give you an idea, it’s about a brisk bicycle pace. For a 7–10 year old, it feels fast enough to be fun, but not so fast that you feel you’re letting them ride a mini motorbike.

The kick-start system is actually one of the parts I liked. The throttle only activates once the scooter is already rolling at around 5 km/h. In practice, that means your kid has to push off like a normal scooter first, then press the thumb throttle. This avoids those awkward moments where a child leans on the throttle by mistake while standing still and the scooter jumps forward under them. It’s a simple safety layer, but quite effective.

Ride comfort is decent for what it is. There’s front coil-spring suspension and solid rubber wheels (about 5.5" in diameter). On smooth pavement, it’s fine and feels stable. On rougher paths or cracked sidewalks, you do feel the bumps – the front suspension helps a bit, but don’t expect miracles. Solid tyres mean no punctures, which is nice, but also less cushioning than air-filled tyres. For a kids’ scooter that mostly sees parks and sidewalks, I think this compromise is acceptable.

On small inclines, the scooter manages, but don’t expect it to climb steep hills. With my kid (about 30 kg), it went up gentle slopes, just slower. When I tested it near the 50 kg limit, it really struggled uphill and sometimes slowed to almost walking pace. So performance is fine within the intended age and weight, but if you live in a very hilly area, be prepared for it to lose speed quickly.

Out of the box, the SPORTNOW scooter is fairly straightforward. You get the scooter itself, the charger, and a small manual. There’s some basic assembly – mainly putting the handlebar in place and tightening a couple of screws. I’m not handy at all and I still had it ready in about 15–20 minutes, so nothing complicated. No extra tools needed beyond what’s included.

The scooter is aimed at kids aged 6–14, but in practice I’d say it fits best from around 7–12. The handlebar is fixed at about 92 cm, so for a tall 13–14 year old it can feel a bit low. My kid is around 135 cm and the height is fine, but I can see it being too small for a big teenager. Max weight is 50 kg – I tested it quickly at around that weight and the motor clearly struggles more and the battery drops quicker.

Controls are simple: a thumb throttle on the right, a hand brake on the front (like a bike) plus a rear foot brake. There’s a small LED display on the stem that shows speed and battery level. It’s basic, but at least you know roughly how much juice is left. The bottom light bar turns on when the scooter is running and kids love that part – it’s one of the first things mine commented on.

In day-to-day use, the scooter feels like a good balance between toy and proper vehicle. It’s clearly designed for kids only – adults are too heavy for it – but the aluminium frame doesn’t feel cheap. I wouldn’t call it premium, but for this price bracket it’s good enough to trust for regular weekend rides, as long as you respect the weight and age limits.